Sticks and Stones
by Anwa
Summary: Two paths diveraged in a wood, and I took the one less traved by. A Lorelai story.
1. Default Chapter

_Alright, hello there. This is my first spin around in the Gilmore Girls section, so feedback would be most appericated._

_As of now this story is a trial, so really I need your guys' opinions on everything from story idea to character likeness. Thanks much._

_Please don't hurt me if this sucks!_

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**_Sticks and Stones_  
**"_Everything has it's beauty, but not everyone sees it"  
__(Confucius)_

Maybe it was because of her pride. Maybe it was her heart. Or it could have been for the sake of her sanity, but she had to leave that place. She couldn't stand to be there any longer, it wasn't like she had loved that home much to begin with, but it had somehow changed into Lucifer's palace ever since she had spilled out those life altering words, "I'm pregnant".

When she planned her grand escape at the tender age of three, she had always imagined herself older, not pregnant, and heading off to college in some exotic foreign country. She later added Christopher following her aimlessly into the equation.

Never for a second did she think she'd be sixteen, knocked up six months worth, a high school drop out, leaving Christopher in the dust, and utterly and completely broke. She knew she was in for a reality check sooner or later, but she just never expected hers to be quite so severe.

But, for all the missed elements, her grand escape was nothing sort of miraculous. Not only had she left in the middle of the day while her mother was out on a shopping trip (she at least assumed it was shopping, it was hard to nail down the exact facts when she hadn't been on speaking terms with her mother for four months) and her father was at work, and merely left a note on the counter proclaiming her new found independence.

She only wished she could be there to see her mother's face when she found the note. She got a kick just thinking about it. She might actually pay money to see the reaction.

But she would be miles away from Hartford by the time her parents even found the note. Her mother was never one for looking on the counter. A maid would probably find it, say good riddance, wait a couple of hours, then show it to Emily-dearest right before she left for the night.

This was going to be her greatest challenge to date. And she'd never met a challenge without victory before, and she had no intention of putting a black mark on her record quite yet.

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	2. Of Second Chances, Chunky Peanut Butter,...

_Again, remember that feedback thing. Hugs and kisses. _

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The second Lorelai Gilmore stepped off that bus, she knew things were going to be different. Granted she wasn't as far away from her parents as she would have hoped, but as a poor sixteen year old, Stars Hallow was as far away as she could have hoped, but it would do.

She stepped off the bus, head held high armed with nothing but a small blue suitcase she clutched in her right hand. She surveyed the sight in front of her, beautifully planted trees lined the streets, quaint little shops lined the streets, and the atmosphere just seemed more peaceful. More slow paced even.

She cracked a small smile, maybe her lack of money was a way of God apologizing for her parents and her unbelievably harsh reality check. This was everything she could have ever hoped for. It was the simplest of all terms: beautiful.

She rubbed her growing stomach gently with her free hand, "I think we're gonna like it here, kiddo," she whispered to the baby growing inside of her.

She'd never really gotten over that. She had this little copy of herself and Christopher growing inside of her. Something she'd made herself. This kid was gonna be perfect. There was no doubt in her mind.

"Oh, my goodness! How far along are you?" A rather large woman stopped in the middle of the street, smiling broadly and staring at Lorelai's stomach in awe.

"About six months, give or take a couple of days," Lorelai replied smoothly turning her stomach away so the woman couldn't touch it. She'd always hated that. What in the world was people's obsession with touching pregnant woman's stomachs in the first place? It's just another stomach. Maybe it had something growing inside of it, but that was besides the point.

"Oh my, you look amazing for it. I haven't seen you around before? Are you new in town?"

Lorelai nodded, "Yeah, just got here today," she lifted up her small suitcase for the woman to see. "Hey, could you tell me where a girl could find a grocery store around here?"

"Ah, yea, sure dear. It's just right up over there," she pointed into the town square to a small little store, "That's Taylor's place, I'm sure you'll find whatever you need there, sweetie."

"Thanks," Lorelai smiled, "Well it was nice talking to you."

"Patty, most just call me Miss Patty though," she slipped in, "If you ever want dance lessons for that kid of yours, I'm the girl for you!"

"Alright, thank-you again, Miss Patty."

"And what's your name, dear?"

"Lorelai, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Lorelai, that's a pretty name."

"Thanks," Lorelai shifted her eyes back to the small mart Patty had pointed out earlier. She could hear her stomach growling she needed peanut butter. Chunky peanut butter. And a banana. A banana and chunky peanut butter. She could barely contain herself from whacking the woman with her suitcase then making a run for the grocery store.

"Well, I'll be seeing you around then, won't I, hun?"

"Yes, yes, you will!" Lorelai smiled, happy to be out of the conversation. "But I really need to get to the mart, what the baby wants, the baby gets."

Patty smiled and chuckled a little, "See you then."

Lorelai nodded and gave another small smile, then she made her way across the small square towards the grocery store. She walked in the general direction of the point, until she found a small little store with green awnings colorfully labeled 'Doose's Mart' in gold letters on the window.

She walked inside a woman on a mission, her eyes scanned wildly for any trace of her chunky peanut butter and bananas. She stalked the isles slowly, until she finally came across the peanut butter tucked neatly next to the jelly on isle three.

With cat-like reflexes she ran over, or rather hobbled, over to her prey, and scanned for her chunky peanut butter.

"Smooth, smooth, smooth," she mumbled to herself scanning the various brands, "Dammit!" She could almost hear the glares she received from that comment, mothers covering their small children's ears and whispering words of disapproval to the other mothers.

Lorelai chuckled softly, "Dang it. I meant dang it. Bloody mood swings, right?" The mothers just shook their heads and sulked off in the opposite direction. "Well I tried," she mumbled to herself as she stormed up to the front counter with a renewed fighting spirit.

"Can I help you, miss?" A cherry balding man chirped from behind the counter, obviously not catching on to Lorelai's current mood.

"Yes," she said slowly, "There must be some mistake, down there on isle three?" She pointed over to where she'd previously been.

"And what might that be?" He asked worriedly, "Whatever it is, I'll be sure to get it fixed pronto!"

"Well you see, it's funny really," she forced another chuckle, "You seem to be out of chunky peanut butter."

"Ooh," the man laughed, "Is that it?"

Lorelai nodded, "Now if I could get that peanut butter, and some bananas, I'll be out of your hair!"

"Oh dear, I'm sorry, but we don't carry chunky peanut butter. Not a very large market for it here in Stars Hallow you see, we actually lost money on it."

Lorelai's jaw dropped, "You what?"

"We don't carry it," he repeated boldly.

"Are you fricken kiddin' me!" She shouted again, and again received glares from people around her, "WHAT! I didn't swear that time!"

"Look, miss, I'd be glad to sell you the bananas, but we don't have chunky peanut butter, I'm sorry. We do have a large selection of the smooth peanut butter, if your interested."

"No! I'm not interested in plain peanut butter! Plain peanut butter is like just Ricky and no Lucy! It's okay but it's not what you tune in to watch the show for! You wanna see Lucy and Ricky! Don't you dare take away my Lucy!"

"Look, I'm sorry, but,"

"I'm sorry! You, my friend, are supposed to have chunky peanut butter, it's like a law or something! You can't just sell the smooth! What happens when a hyped up pregnant chick wants chunky peanut butter! Do you just push her out the door without her peanut butter! That's like you're saying to the baby, 'Starve you stupid little child, you! Starve until you get better tastes in peanut butter!' Are you gonna make my kid starve?"

Lorelai must have looked like a woman possessed while she stood there and screamed on about babies to this man she'd never met before in her life. But in her defense, it was his fault. Nobody should ever deny a pregnant girl something. They may have an abnormally large stomach, but they can still do some permanent damage if you egg them enough.

The man just stood there and blinked, "Well, I, umm," he mumbled out.

"Yeah, well you ahh, yea!" She mocked him angrily, "Now where the hell can I get some chunky peanut butter and bananas!"

"Look, miss, I don't know how they do it where ever you come from, but here in Stars Hallow young people such as yourself are not allowed to insult their elders."

"I'm not insulting you! I'm insulting the guy that decided to not carry the chunky peanut butter! Bring me Taylor! Miss Patty said this was his store! It's a same assumption that Taylor made the peanut butter decision!"

"I'm Taylor Doose," he grunted out angrily, becoming fed up with Lorelai's antics. "And yes, I did make the executive decision to not carry peanut butter unaware that Miss Queen of the Universe would be coming in here demanding her chunky peanut butter!"

"Yo! Taylor! Just give the girl her chunky peanut butter!" An angry male voice yelled from behind her, "I know you still got some in back!"

Lorelai whirled around to see the man yelling in her favor. He was maybe two or three years older then her, dressed in a lumberjack plaid shirt, worn jeans, and a blue baseball cap turned backwards. She felt herself being to choke up, damn mood swings, "Thank-you," she mumbled out, "Finally, somebody's on my side!"

"Erm-yea, don't get all sentimental and stuff. I really just wanted to pay for my food and get out of here," he lifted up a liter of coke and some chips sheepishly.

"Here," Taylor mumbled angrily, thrusting out the can of chunky peanut butter towards Lorelai.

She turned back around and smiled happily, "Thank-you, and the bananas?"

Another man walked up to her, he looked about the same age as the plaid man, and handed her a small grouping of bananas, "You know we don't get many girls like you through here," he commented.

"Well you're stuck with me now," she smiled, "Alright, so Taylor my boy, how much is that?" She bent down and set her suitcase on the floor next to her, then shoved her hand into her pocket looking for her small supply of loose change.

"Four fifty, including tax," he mumbled, "And you're gonna have to find another supplier for your peanut butter cravings, this is my last one, scouts honor."

"Bullshit, Taylor!" The plaid man shouted out again, "You've got a whole stock room full of them!"

Lorelai turned back around to face him, an amused grin on her face, "Right on, plaid man!"

"Lucas Danes! I don't think your father would approve of that kind of language!"

Lorelai shoved a clump of one dollar bills and a large supply of pennies on the counter, "There you go, thanks for the peanut butter and bananas, me and my child thank you. And no I don't think I'll be needing a bag." She bent back down and picked up her suitcase and turned around, "Thank-you again, Mr. Danes, my hero in training," she mused in a heavy southern accent as she made her way through the store.

"Err, well, umm," he mumbled out shyly, his face turning an interesting shade of red. It was probably about the same shade as Taylor's, but most likely for a different reason.

Once she had made it to the door, she turned back and added, "You'll be my hero in shining plaid shirts in no time if you keep this up!" She smiled brightly, that intoxicating smile that had gotten her here in the first place, and slipped out the door before he had a chance to react.

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**_Please Review._**


	3. When Blue meets Blue

_Well, here we go, another chapter comming at you. I know the characters aren't exactly right, and the writing could use a little work, but I am having fun working with them and I hope to write more Gilmore Girls fics in the future combinded with my now apparent infamous Mondler stories. _

_Dang, I'm modest. lol._

_Thanks so much for the reviews you guys. They're really helping me out a lot, it's hard going into a fic like this. I mean, I've just started watching the show this year (abc family has donea nice job catching me up to date, though, I must say bravo) and I've even more recently started reading GG fanfiction, so I wasn't sure how everyone would react. Friends was a no brainer going into, because I know the characters and the story like better then my math notes (you laugh, but it's true...). So in short, thanks. _

_Okay, shutting up now. _

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To say that Luke Danes was a man of few words would probably be the understatement of the year. He was the epitome of a monosyllable type of guy. Why he had felt so compelled to help the girl? Even he couldn't comprehend that. The words had just slipped out, and suddenly he found himself arguing with his arch nemesis, Taylor Doose.

"Why'd she only thank you?" Kirk whined, staring blankly out the window towards the direction where'd she had disappeared.

"Go away, Kirk," Luke mumbled out shortly as he walked up to the counter, slamming his selected food items down on the counter in front of him.

"Lucas, impressing a girl does not constitute your behavior back there. Girl or no girl, you should respect your elders, and that language!" Taylor shook his head in disgust, "Do you know how many young and impressionable children are in here at this time of day!"

Luke rolled his eyes, "Will you just ring it up, Taylor," he said shortly. "And I was not trying to impress her. You were just being a jerk. It wasn't like she was trying to steal the chunky peanut butter from you."

"Well, she didn't look trustworthy."

"And you're basing that on?" Luke said slowly, pretending to wait for a reasonable answer to come up.

"Well, she didn't look that old! I mean what was she, sixteen, maybe seventeen! And pregnant! I don't like to judge people, but she is more of an open book if you know what I mean."

"So you're saying that pregnant people steal?"

"No! You know what I'm saying!"

"Yea, you're saying pregnant people steal, just like Luke said," Kirk wormed his way into the conversation, "Hey Luke, do you think she's single?"

Luke and Taylor gave him a strange look, Luke reacted first, "Do you even have a brain in that skull of yours?"

Kirk nodded, "Mother dropped me a lot when I was younger. The doctors said I would have a complete recovery, but every now and again,"

"That explains a lot," Luke mumbled.

"So, should I go ask her for her number! Give me some clues here, Butch!"

"Don't call me that." Luke mumbled, handing Taylor a small wad of bills and some change to pay for the food. "And are you seriously about to go and hit on a pregnant girl."

"Babies are little miracles, aren't they? Such a joy," he said dreamily looking out the window at the girl, whom in the past five minutes had managed to find an empty bench and was currently struggling with the proper way to eat her peanut butter and bananas. The peanut butter was winning.

"Hey, Kirk, hand me that plastic spoon, would you?" Luke pointed to a small bin of plastic silverware.

"Ah, yea sure, this good?" He handed Luke one of the multiple spoons.

"I don't know Kirk, are there any better ones?" Luke said sarcastically, "You can never tell with plastic silverware. They're always different."

"I don't care for that tone."

"And neither do I!" Taylor but into the conversation this time. "Just like the tone you gave me either. Luke, I don't care for this new personality of yours."

"I'm sorry, I guess I'll have to send this one to the shop and take up a substitute one until the old one gets fixed. Whatda think?"

Taylor just rolled his eyes and rang up the spoon with a sigh, "Sixty cents," he mumbled.

Luke handed over some more change, then grabbed the spoon hastily. "See ya around, Taylor," Luke mumbled out of politeness. His father was always a stickler for such friendly gestures. Stars Hallow was a small town, and had the biggest mouth this side of the Mississippi: Miss Patty. Word of his impoliteness would reach back to his father within the hour had he not ended with such a phrase.

He pushed open the door and stepped out into the brisk fall weather. He saw the girl sitting on the bench just feet away from him. With a spoon in hand, he marched over to her, trying his best to remember to breathe.

"Umm, excuse me," he mumbled out gruffly.

She turned, her frustration evident in her face, "Not a good time to collect on your good deed, plain man."

"Spoon?"

"What? Dirty."

Luke turned a little red and held up the plastic spoon he'd brought for her, "Spoon," he repeated nervously.

She smiled, and grabbed the spoon from his hand, "My hero," she mused, "Now you would have thought that I would think to get me one of these babies, but, alas, I seemed to have not properly calculated out my food eating needs."

"Erm-right then, I'll just leave you to it," Luke offered a faint smile and headed back off towards his father's store.

"Wait!" She called, "Sit with me. It's only customary. I mean, with you being my hero and all, I think it's only proper that are actually formally introduced.

Luke shrugged, and took a seat next to the girl, "You can call me Luke."

"I'm Lorelai."

"So, Lorelai, what reason brings you to Stars Hallow?"

"I've got my reasons. Needless to say, I bought a bus ticket and this was as far as I could get on my budget. Apparently, the spoon was an expense too great for my mind, and I mentally blocked it out before my impulsive side took over and I was back out on the streets."

Luke just looked at her strangely, "Were there actually words in that sentence of yours? Y'know, words from thought that makes sense, perhaps."

"Hey, I heard there was an inn around here. Do you know if they're hiring, cause I could really use a job and a place crash right about now."

"Uh, yea, Mia's place?"

"That means absolutely nothing to me."

"I'm surprised. I thought you were a fan of nonsense."

"You're a witty one, aren't you?"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LUKE!" Kirk shouted at them as he walked by in an apparent rage. "YOU TRICKED ME!"

"Isn't that the guy that handed me the bananas?" Lorelai asked slowly, then looked down at her half eaten bananas. "Are these safe to eat? I mean, he could go down for double homicide if they aren't. Ooh, there's some money in that. Hey, do you think I could pull a Juliet to cash in on the money making opportunities at hand here?"

"A Juliet?" Luke asked slowly, waiting for an explanation. "You talk, but I hear no words."

"You know, like in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet fakes her own death to be with Romeo."

"Well we all know that wonderful plan didn't work out so well, so the whole pulling a Juliet thing probably wouldn't be the best course of action. Then there's the whole counter-lawsuit fraud thing you'll have to deal with once he realizes you faked it. Hell, this is a strange little town, you might even be chased out with pitchforks and torches."

Lorelai smiled, "But they could never hurt a pregnant lady. That's just sinful."

"Yeah, a pregnant girl," Luke said softly.

"Yea," she repeated, equally as soft.

"So, you wanted to know about the inn, right? Well, it's Mia's inn, she's a family friend, so that means you've got connections now and everything, just say my name somewhere in there and she'll love you for life."

"Modest of you."

Luke gave her a look, "The inn's just right down there, you can't miss it. Star's Hallow isn't exactly Everest."

"Thank-you," Lorelai smiled, "Well, I'd better get going." She closed up her peanut butter, and threw the banana peels over her shoulder into a nearby trash basket, "Thanks again, plaid man."

"That's never gonna stop is it?"

"It's gotta nice ring to it, you must admit."

"Fine then, crazy lady."

Lorelai smiled, as she stood up, picking up her small suitcase with her, "See ya around, plaid man."

Luke nodded, "Sure thing, Crazy Lady."

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_**Updates up soon.  
Please Review.**_

_Hugs and Kisses everyone._


	4. Those Tricky First Steps

_Alright, so just a little over-due update about the ages here in this fic. I know they're a little messed up, but go with me here: Lorelai is sixteen, Luke is eighteen, and Lizzie is fifteen. I know that when Lorelai had Rory, Lizzie must have had Jess at the same time, therefore making her older because she actually was married, thus making Luke older because he is her older brother, but I think it will work better for the story this way. Thanks._

_**Jenna: **I completely agree. I think it would be sweet to have some sort of flashback epidsode when Lorelai first comes to Stars Hallow! This was just a random idea that popped in my mind, and doesn't really work for the show, but amusing none the less. Thanks for the review._

_**Pokey: **I kinda took that idea from when I first watched the gilmore girls, and I was like "holy crap they talk like a mile a minute!" and here little ol' me was just trying to keep up with all the references. I'm sure it was great for all those around me as like an hour after the episode I would be like "Oh! That guy!" And start laughing hysterically. Now, as a result of the show, I am quite the pop culture index on the drop of a dime. Now if only I could master the complexities of the oven. Or the stove. Hell, the mircowave for that matter._

_**Jeep-girl:** Yea, AU is sort of my thing. I really love those kinds of fics, and they really give you a lot of leeway as an author, and the ablity to really start working out your creavitivy into actual, understandable ideas. And gilmore girls fanfiction is so hard to translate into AU because of the show just isn't about oh, for example six friends living in New York City drinking coffee at Central Perk intstead of working, I had to figure out a way to translate the entire town but do my own thing. Hence the "What if Lorelai came eariler?" situation. _

_**X-Identaty: **Good point. I'll have to work that into her personality. I hadn't thought about that. _

**_Also thanks to: Piper, Lukelaiandroryndean, AngelJunkie, Rose01, Muffin is Injured, Chaspter4, screaming truth, Ella, Chris313, and Hanselel._**

_If I forgot you, I'm really sorry! But thanks as well!_

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Luke watched her as she waddled through the town, unable to shake off the small smile that had formed on his lips. He had never met a girl like that before in his life. She was, without a doubt in his mind, a one of a kind.

"Good luck, crazy lady," he mumbled to her retreating figure, knowing that she couldn't hear him, "Good luck," he repeated himself as he turned and walked back towards his father's store.

He pushed open the door, hearing the familiar chime of the bell as he did so, and walked inside of the old store. It hadn't changed much over the years. And he liked it that way.

"Hey Dad!" He called, not sure exactly where his father might have disappeared to.

"Yea, I'm over here, Luke!" His father, William Danes, answered from a small corner next to the large picturesque window that donned the front of the hardware store.

Luke nodded, and wandered over to where his father was sitting, "So, what's up for today, Dad? Anyone need any repairs done or something?"

"Who was that girl you were talking to?"

"What?" Luke almost laughed at the question, "Are you spying on me now?"

"Seriously, Luke, who was that girl?"

"Lorelai," Luke said shortly, "She's new in town. Had a small meltdown in Taylor's place, I helped her out a little, so what? You're the one that's always preaching that 'do onto others' crap at me. I was just applying it."

"Then why were you outside talking to her? Did she forget her condoms?"

"Dad! What? God!" There were at least three words he never wanted to hear his father say. And that, my friends, was right smack dab in the middle of those words.

"Well, you were outside talking to her. If she had the meltdown in the store and you helped her in the store, why did you feel the need to go and talk to her outside of the store? You did your good deed, and that's that. I get Kirk over hear jabbering about how you're stealing his girl! What am I supposed to think?"

"That Kirk is an idiot," Luke said slowly. His father just gave him that look. That look when parents know there is more to the story, and will not rest until they've heard the entire thing. They will use shameless ploys to get you to reveal such prized information, including the 'your grounded' ploy, a favorite of his fathers (though hardly ever carried out), and the 'young man speech' ploy, which was a last resort of the monosyllable Danes men but has been used in desperate times.

"Lucas," he said slowly. The proper etiquette for alerting such child that their look is not just a dry threat. All he needed was a middle name, and it was equivalent to that of a triple dog dare, the most feared among all dares.

"Fine, you wanna play by play, here's the play by play. I went to the store after school to pick up my usual snacking supplies," he held up his plastic bag filled with food, "And as I was picking up such items, I over heard Taylor arguing with this girl, who I later found out to be Lorelai, about the lack of chunky peanut butter in Stars Hallow, when we all know that Taylor has a secret stash of the stuff in the back!

So, at first I was just gonna ignore it, come back for my stuff later maybe, cause lets face it, the girl could stand to eat regular peanut butter just like the rest of us, then as I walk up there, I see that she isn't just some girl, she's some pregnant girl, and you can't just go around denying stuff to pregnant women! They're crazy! That's like asking for a mass murder to happen! So, I just calmly told Taylor to give Lorelai her chunky peanut butter, and after a little argument he did, Kirk handed her some bananas, cause she wanted some of those too, don't ask, I don't know. And she left.

So, as I went to pay for my stuff, Kirk started talking all this stuff about if she had a boyfriend or something of that sort, and I told him he was crazy for thinking about hitting on a pregnant girl, and he just got mad. Well, this conversation lead me to look out the window where I saw her struggling with her peanut butter, because she had forgotten to buy a spoon, so I brought a spoon from Taylor, walked outside, and gave it to her. Then she asked me to sit with her, and going back to that whole not being rude, 'do onto others' mumbo-jumbo I sat down. Then we got to talking like any other normal people in the world might do if they were sitting next to someone they had seen and spoken briefly to!"

"So, you bought her a spoon."

"Yes! Weren't you listening! I just said that!"

His father just shook his head, and sighed in that sort of disappointed sigh that parents enjoy pulling on their children just to watch them squirm. "Luke, it's not that I don't like you helpin' people out. That's a very good thing, you're a lot like your mother in that aspect of your life, but I don't think that she's, y'know, good people to be around. A negative influence, or whatever."

"Have you ever spoken two words to the girl?"

"No, but,"

Luke held up his hand, "And did I say we were now best buds?"

"No, but,"

He held up his hand again, "Dad, look, I was just being nice to a girl who needed a little help, okay? That doesn't mean that I'm her new best friend, or that we are now going to be conjoined at the hip, but that also means that you can't just sit there and form opinions about a girl you haven't even met yet! God Dad! There are so many un-parenty things about that!"

"Un-parenty?" He raised an eyebrow at his son, barely stifling a laugh.

"Yea," he shrugged, "Blanked out on an adjective back there," he chuckled softly at his own stupidity.

William just shook his head, "Come on, Luke," he stood up from his chair, "Break time's up. Time to get back to work."

Luke just rolled his eyes, "Sure thing, dad." Sometimes it was best to leave things the way they were, and go with the change of conversation.

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With a prideful march, she stepped inside the Independence Inn. Luke had been right, it was pretty darn hard not to see. And when she found her, she could feel her heart skip a beat: she was really doing it. She was really on her own. Making things for herself.

"Can I help you, miss?" A woman, maybe in her early to mid-forties approached Lorelai. "Do you need a room for tonight? We have a few openings."

Lorelai shook her head, "I'm looking for someone named Mia. I was told she was the person to go to."

The lady smiled, "You found her, or well, she found you!" She chuckled lightly, "So, what's up?"

"I need a job."

"Wow. That was blunt."

"No use dancing around the subject," she shrugged.

"I agree," she smiled back at Lorelai.

"Yes, so, the job?"

The older woman's smile faded slowly, "I don't know if there is anything I can do, sweetie. I'm sorry, but you have to understand."

Lorelai stood firm, just shaking her head slowly from side to side, "No, you don't understand. I need a job. And if I could work some sort of deal out for room and board, I promise I will be the hardest worker you have ever hired. Hell, I'm the most motivated!"

"I don't know if there is anything I can do," Mia said sadly, "I would love to help, just now's not a good time, sweetie." And with that, she looked back down at her paper work, and continued working, without even so much as a look up.

Lorelai sat there for a moment, trying to formulate the right words in the right sentences to make the woman understand. She couldn't go back. That was not an option.

"Listen, this is the only place I could think of that I could work out a way to have a place to stay. I can pay back every cent I owe for the room, that's no problem, if that's what your worried about, but I have no where else to go. I would just wait around for a little bit, I could scrape by, it's been done before, but now I've got someone else to worry about!" She pointed at her large stomach, "So that leaves me no choice!"

Mia looked back up from her paperwork, "I'm sorry, dear, I just think there is anything I can do for you. I wish I could help, really I do, but I don't think there is anything. And you seem like a nice enough girl, I'm sure your parents will help you out for a little bit, y'know, just until you find another job."

"No, no," Lorelai felt herself choking up again, "You don't understand. I can't go back."

"What? Why?"

"Because I made such a big deal about leaving that if I came back I would never hear the end of it! So add the hurt pride to the fact that I don't want my kid to go through the same hoop-la, yes I did say hoop-la, that I went through because I wasn't smart enough or on time enough or whatever enough to get a fucking job!"

Mia looked at the girl, for the first time in her life, speechless. "Well, then, I, umm," was all she could think to make out before the girl cut her off again.

"And I know your thinking, well if you were stupid enough to get knocked up at my age, you should live with the consequences, and you know what, that's exactly what I'm doing! I'm doing what I have to do in order to give this kid the world, and I'm doing it on my own terms! So, Mia, or whatever your name is, I ask you to reconsider before you just write me off. I don't care what I do. I could sing and dance for you, although I'd highly recommend for the good of all mankind that you don't, I'm still willing to publicly humiliate myself for this kid. Do you understand what the hell I'm trying to get across here?"

"Alright, I'll make you a deal. If I could hire you right now, I would, but not only are there no available spots, but you are pregnant."

"No!" Lorelai gasped in mock astonishment, "That would explain so much! The mood swings, the morning sickness, the stomach growth! And here I just thought this was God's little practical joke on me."

Mia cracked a small smile, "Dear, what is your name, I don't think I ever heard it,"

"Oh! Sorry, hi, I'm Lorelai, Lorelai Gilmore," she stuck out an awkward hand, and Mia shook it firmly for a moment.

"Lorelai, that's a pretty name," she commented, "Alright, Lorelai, I could give you a job as a maid, and you could live on property, but I can't have you working around the chemicals like that. It's bad for the baby, you know? That's what I was going for."

Lorelai nodded somberly, "Isn't there anything else I could do? Anything? You have horses? I'll clean up their crap, there's no chemicals in that, right? I'll take out those guests you don't like and pull a Mort and bury them underneath the corn, then go to the cops and lie and say 'oh what do you mean, officer, they never arrived here'! Then be all creepy and stuff and say 'the only thing that matters is the ending!' y'know?"

Mia's smile grew, "No, no, that won't be necessary," she smiled at Lorelai's antics, "But I do have a friend, he runs a hardware store just a few blocks up, and I'm sure I could convince him to take you in, he does owe me a couple of favors, y'know just until the baby comes, then, when your ready, you could come over here and work."

Lorelai smiled, "You'd do that?"

The older woman nodded, "I don't know what it's like to be in those shoes of yours, but I admire you for what you're doing."

"What's that?"

"Having a baby."

Lorelai shook her head, "It happens all the time. Hell, believe it or not, I was a baby once too, and was taken care of by a team of highly trained nurses, but still, it happened."

"But how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Wow. Sixteen?"

Lorelai nodded, "I screwed up pretty big, right?" She laughed hesitantly.

"Do you regret this?"

Lorelai stopped for a moment, it was maybe the second time in her life she was actually speechless. The first time had come roughly five months ago when she had first discovered that she was in fact pregnant. After a moment of thought, she looked back up at the older woman, smiling faintly, and said the one answer that she would have least expected: "No".

Mia smiled, "Then, dear, you haven't messed up. As long as you don't regret it, then you shouldn't dwell on it as a bad thing."

Lorelai nodded, "Is it possible to trade in parents? Cause if you where there instead of my mom when I told her I was pregnant, it would have made things a whole lot easier. On both parties really. I've recently perfected my Billy Idol look."

She smiled, "I think I'm going to like having you around here, missy," she mused, "So, what brings you to Stars Hallow of all places?"

Lorelai shrugged, "It was as far away as I could get on my budget."

Mia smiled, "Well, we're glad to have you. And just to warn you, you have officially selected the least sane town I think in the history of the universe."

"Ever crazier then Mayberry? Cause let me tell you, that town was one good out patient service that I have seen."

"You might be surprised. Have you met our Taylor Doose?"

"The grocery store guy?"

Mia nodded, "That'd be him."

"I might've," she smirked, "I also might've upset him a little over a very heated chunky peanut butter debate, even including _I Love Lucy_ references."

"I bet he loved that."

Lorelai smiled brightly, "I think I'm gonna like it here," she concluded, "This plan's just cooky enough, it just might work."

Mia smiled back at Lorelai, after fifteen minutes and one conversation already beaming like a proud parent towards Lorelai's humorous antics.

"Hey, Mia," Lorelai asked softly.

"Yea?"

"Would it be too weird, if I, well, hugged you?"

Mia shook her head, "No, oh, come here," she grabbed the younger girl in her arms, well as much as Lorelai would fit inside of her arms, they didn't quite fit, but it was still the action that meant more then anything else.

"Thank-you, again, for everything. You don't even know me, and you're using up favors to help me out. And that might be the mood swing talking, but I still can't help but feel so grateful."

Mia rubbed Lorelai's back softly, "I was glad to help. Believe it or not, I was young once too. And I don't think I could have done what you're doing now."

Lorelai blushed softly, "Well I can't help it, it's in my nature to be stubborn and stupid. And that's a really bad combination."

Mia smiled back down at Lorelai, "So, let's get you to Will's place, huh?"

"Will, is that you're friend?"

She nodded, "He's a good guy. He'll be happy to help you out a little."

"But this isn't charity, I'll be working for him. Gotta sing for my dinner, remember?"

"You can work at his hardware store, probably just taking orders and sending his son out to do this and that."

"Ooh, I get to order people around? How great is that!"

She smiled, "And I want you to come and visit me. I don't want you to be a stranger around here!"

"I'll be sure too."

"Alright then, let's get you back into town," Mia looked down at Lorelai's feet, noticing the small blue suitcase, "Is that all you have?"

Lorelai nodded, as she bent down and picked it back up again, "It's not much, but it will do for now."

"What about when the baby comes?"

"I've been making this up as I go along. I figured I keep with that theme when my parenting skills came into play."

Mia smiled again, "Well if you need any help winging it, I'll be around."

Lorelai nodded and smiled, "Alright then, so how far are we going?" She started walking towards the door, Mia in tow.

"Just to the town square, it's not a far walk from here, but we can take my car if you want."

Lorelai shook her head, "No, no, I wanna walk."

Mia nodded, as she leaned forward and pulled open the door for both of them. "Shall we?" She asked playfully.

Lorelai looked out the door at the bright sun in front of them, her smile growing by the second. This was the first step of her new, independent life. She was finally free. And for all the times growing up that adults had told her that the real world was a scary place, and to not grow up too soon, she couldn't help but want to point at them and laugh at them.

The real world was absolutely wonderful.

"Yea, let's go."

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**Updates up soon.  
Please Review.**


	5. My Number One

_This fic isn't a priority of mine. It's turned out a lot different then I had intended, and I am slowly finding myself less and less motivated to update it. _

_Thank-you for the reviews and support you have given me for this fic, however. I do not mean to discount any of that, I just mean that I don't like how it has turned out._

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Lorelai almost felt like laughing when she realized that she completely retraced all of the steps she had originally taken, but it did feel nicer having company this time around. And it was a nice change to not have this company be yelling at you for every little thing you do. Including for something that happened six months ago.

"So, it's just you, huh?" Mia finally commented, "Oh, I know you're probably getting sick of this ol' gal asking you about your pregnancy and stuff, but I can't help it, I'm a curious by nature, dammit!"

"Didn't curiosity kill the cat?" Lorelai teased with a visible smirk on her face.

"Oh, shut up and spill."

"Such the charmer," Lorelai grinned, "And it's not just me," she set her free hand on her stomach, "I've got my girl with me."

"Oh? So it's a girl!" Mia smiled, "Here, you shouldn't be carrying that bag, let me have it," she reached down and grabbed Lorelai's small blue suitcase from her hand.

"Thank-you, for everything. You're my new hero. Trust me, if I had any artistic talent I'd make this huge statue of you and stick it in the very center of town with this big spotlight shining on it twenty-four-seven."

Mia laughed, "Your too much! I can't wait to have you around to brighten up the inn. We could use more people with a sense of humor. God, some days you'd think we're hosting a funeral the way that the people act there."

Lorelai smiled, "Always glad to lend my charming wit to any occasion."

Mia stopped in front of the small Momma and Papa hardware store just in front of the bench Lorelai had been sitting at earlier. "Alright, this is it," she set down Lorelai's bag on the sidewalk next to her, "You know what, how about you wait out here for a second while I go and make arrangements with Will, alright?"

"Works for me," she smiled as she bent down and opened her suitcase, pulling out the same jar of peanut butter and plastic spoon from earlier. "I'll just have another little snack while I wait."

Mia smiled, "Alright then, dear. I'll be just a minute."

Lorelai nodded once again, but her attention was now focused mainly on the peanut butter and less on the woman talking in front of her.

"Alright then, sweetie. Enjoy the peanut butter," Mia just continued to smile as she turned and walked into William's Hardware. But even a smile couldn't stop her hands from shaking. It was a lot to ask him to do, even though he did owe her one, this was a big one. And technically speaking not even for her. For a girl she met maybe fifteen, twenty minutes ago.

"Mia!" Will greeted from behind his counter, "What's up?" You okay?" He set down his usual newspaper, and looked up at her with concern.

"Hello, Will, I just came here to ask you something."

"Something at the Inn broke again? Mia, I told you just to call, you don't have to come down here. I'll just send Luke over, he's just in back, probably killing himself with those potato chips, again," he stepped out from behind the counter before Mia could get a word in edgewise, "Here, I'll go get him,"

"Wait!" Mia shouted, "It's not about the Inn."

"Oh," he walked over to her, "Then what's up?"

"I have a favor to ask you, and I know it's gonna seem like a lot, but it would really mean a lot to me if you could do this for me."

"Sure, anything, what is, Mia?"

"Well, you see, this all started when this girl walked into my Inn demanding a job. And while I would have loved to give her a job as a maid, cause you know I could always use more maids, there was a slight problem."

"What sorta problem? She an illegal alien or something?" He joked, "Want me to make her up some false papers, cause you know that's a specialty of mine."

Mia forced a faint smile, "Not exactly."

"Then what is it?"

"She's kinda, well, pregnant."

"Oh," he paused, "I see," he mumbled out for lack of better words.

"And, well you see, I was wondering that if until she gives birth, and well gets settled and all, no need to roll her off the table and into a maid's uniform, if she could possibly work here for room and board until that time?"

"Well, wow, that's, wow."

"I know it's a lot to ask, and I wouldn't feel bad if you said no, because that would be completely understandable, but you were the only person I could think of that would take a girl like this and not make her feel like she's taking advantage of you. She's not looking for any hand-outs. And she's stubborn to-boot."

"How old is she?"

"Sixteen."

"Wow."

"No kidding."

"Listen, Mia, my son is a senior, my daughter is a freshman and I don't want her getting any crazy ideas, and having a girl like that around, I'm not sure,"

"Will, she's not the devil, you know. She's not going to sit there and spout things like 'go, Liz, go get pregnant. This is the best thing ever' any time in the near future. She's a girl that made a mistake but isn't gonna sit there and apologize for it."

"Well, I guess you're right," he mumbled.

"You're damn right, I right. Come on, Will. All this girl needs is a second chance."

He sighed, "Fine. But let the record state that I am in no way happy about this." He could never say no to that woman. He owed her practically the world at his point.

"Works for me, I'll go and get her," Mia smiled genuinely as she walked back through the store, "She's a pretty little thing, with a great sense of humor!" She pushed open the door, "Lorelai!"

Lorelai looked up from her peanut butter, "Yep?"

"Come on in," Mia waved her hand.

Lorelai smiled as she bent down and picked up her small suitcase, and hoofed it inside the hardware store. "You're my hero," she sang out in a southern accent, "Well, after plaid man. He did get me my chunky peanut butter and then bought me a spoon to eat it with. More like a tie. Ah, I'll probably never see him again, Mia, you're number one!" Lorelai ranted on as the girls walked back through the hardware store.

"Lorelai, I'd like you too meet,"

"Spoon girl?" Will burst out before Mia could finish introductions.

"What now?"

Will shook his head, "You're the girl that Luke bought the spoon for."

Lorelai nodded slowly, "This spoon," she held up the now peanut butter covered spoon. "You want it back or something?"

Will waved his hand, "No, no, that's quite all right, it's just, well, isn't funny how things tend to come back to you," he forced a laugh.

"Will, are you alright?" Mia asked, "You seem," she paused looking for a proper adjective, "A bit off at the moment."

"I'm fine, just fine," he practically sang out, "So, I'm pretty sure I heard Mia call you Lorelai when she yelled out to you, was my hearing right."

Lorelai nodded, "Dead on. And what would you like me to call you? Mia called you Will, but seeing as how I'm gonna be living under your roof and all I probably should give you some sort of respect when I talk to you, so Mister something-or-another?"

"It's Danes, but you can just call me Will."

"Danes," Lorelai thought back trying to think of where she heard the name from before, "Oh my god, you're plaid-I mean Luke's dad! That explains it."

"You know Luke?" Mia asked, "Oh my, this is a small world."

"Yeah, he's the plaid man. My knight in shinning armor. Took on that Taylor-guy down at the grocery store and got me my chunky peanut butter cause all they had was regular peanut butter and the baby didn't care for that too much, which lead me to the chunky variety. And then I get here and that Taylor-guy, gosh, the nerve, was stashing it all up in the back and wouldn't give it to me! A pregnant girl! Can you believe that!"

Mia held out her hand, "Lorelai, breathing is sort of important."

"Sorry, I just haven't gotten over that moment yet, you know?" She felt herself tearing up a bit, "I mean I was there in the store and he just wouldn't give me the peanut butter until this guy, I hadn't even met before in my life, yelled at him and made him give me the peanut butter."

The door to the storage room opened, "Hey dad, I was just," he paused as he looked up as saw Lorelai standing near-tears in the back of his father's store, "Crazy-lady?"

She nodded, "Told ya I'd see you around."

"Just never thought it'd be so soon," Luke mumbled out, still in shock.

"You guys have nicknames for each other," Will blurted out, "I thought you said that you had just talked to her for a second, and then came over here!"

Luke nodded, "Yeah, we really didn't talk long," he looked over at Lorelai, "Right?"

"Yeah, you gave me the spoon, we talked for a bit, I walked off to get a job. And now I'm here talking to you again."

"But you guys have nicknames," he looked between the two in confusion, "How'd ya do that?"

"Well, I didn't know his name, so I called him plaid man because of the plaid while I was thanking him for the peanut butter, and I liked it, so it kinda stuck in the next conversation," Lorelai reasoned.

"And she kept saying plaid man, so I had to counter with something, and well, crazy lady seemed to fit," Luke joined in.

"Oh, god, what have I agreed to?"

"Isn't a joy of having teenagers around?" Mia smirked, "I just love them."

"Bye Mia. I think I can handle things from here," Will mumbled out half-heartedly, "But I will, however, keep your number on speed dial. Just in case."

Mia smiled, "Well then, Lorelai, remember you are always welcome to come and visit me at the inn when you can, alright dear?"

Lorelai smiled, "Thank-you again. You've been absolutely wonderful, for at least the past twenty minutes, but I doubt I could ever find any sort of grounds to be mad at you after this, so you'll forever be wonderful in my book."

Mia's smiled brightened, as she leaned in a hugged Lorelai loosely, on account of she really couldn't give her the tight squeeze of a hug because of Lorelai's rather large middle section. She held the younger girl for a moment, then finally let her go. "Now, you must promise to contact your parents at some point or another, they deserve to know that you are okay."

"Probably haven't even noticed I'm gone," Lorelai mumbled under her breath.

"Oh, come now. I'm sure they have. And you'll have to visit me often, seeing as how I am your new hero and all, and well, I'll see you around then? All of you?"

"Sure thing, Mia," Lorelai smiled.

"Yep, you'll be seeing me," Will grumbled through a highly fake, plastered on smile.

"See ya," Luke smiled, "Just call me if you need anything fixed at the inn, I'll be around."

Mia smiled and nodded again at Lorelai, "All right then, I guess I've drawn this goodbye thing out long enough," she mused before turning and walking back through the store.

"So, Lorelai," Will tried to sound as casual as possible, "Since you will be working here, do you know anything about tools?"

Lorelai paused in thought for a moment, "Not this kind of tools, no."

"Any work experience?"

Lorelai shook her head, "I was a rich girl. Emphasis on the was part of that."

"This is gonna be a bumpy ride," Will mumbled out.

"Ohh! Ohh! I know that one! That's from _All About Eve_! Except it was 'night' not 'ride', but that's not that big of a deal, eh?"

Both Danes men found themselves at a lack of words. Not to say that the Danes men were known for being talkers, but they were known to mumble out a word to two in response. Not this dumbfounded lack of words that this girl seemed to put them into.

"What?" Lorelai asked, "It's a famous movie."

Will was the first one to come up with something to say, "I need to lie down," he managed to mumble out as he turned and headed up the stairs to his office, "Luke, watch the store, would you? And try to teach Lorelai something about hardware, could you?"

Luke nodded, "Ah-uh," he mumbled out, "Teach. Lorelai. Tools. Got it."

"What?" Lorelai asked again. "It's not like I flashed you or something."

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**_Updates up when I get them up._**


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